1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air bags formed from multilayer composites, which air bags are particularly useful as a side curtain air bag arranged to deploy along the inside of a vehicle. The air bags of the invention have low base weight, low elongation and high tear propagation resistance, which protect vehicle occupants from injury during and after air bag deployment.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a known problem in the art of producing vehicular air bags that physical damage to the air bag can result in failure of the bag when deployed, potentially subjecting vehicle occupants to catastrophic injury. For example, tears in polymeric air bags propagate easily, causing the air bag to burst when inflated or fail to perform properly. In order to overcome this problem, it is necessary to manufacture air bags from materials that are resistant to tear propagation. Accordingly, it has been known to manufacture air bags from a woven material such as nylon or polyester. The woven material is frequently coated with silicon or neoprene rubber to seal the air bag and to capture particles emitted by the bag inflator. However, such materials have substantial mass and can cause a vehicle occupant to be injured when struck by an inflating air bag.
In addition to tear propagation resistance, it is important that air bags have both a low mass and low elongation in order to protect a vehicle occupant from injury. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a lightweight air bag structure having good physical properties. The present invention provides a solution to this need.